


Round Robin

by Bait_And_Pitch



Series: Clarkson Universe [4]
Category: Pitch (TV 2016)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Female Friendship, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Humor, Male-Female Friendship, Multi, Strong Female Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-22
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-05 14:29:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11579961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bait_And_Pitch/pseuds/Bait_And_Pitch
Summary: When two of Eva's friends come for a visit, girl's night becomes a tell-all for everyone, especially Eva





	1. Girl's Night

  
"Why can't I stay?" Mike is asking for the fifth time.    
  
"You know why," I shoot back.    
  
"Come on. I'll just stay down stairs," Mike suggests hopefully.    
  
"You've said that before, and you always find some reason to come out. Then you instantly regret it."     
  
"I do not." He replies in a disbelieving tone with his arms crossed in mild defiance.  
  
"Remember when you stayed before? And Gin, Evelyn, and Cara were here? How well did that go?"     
  
Mike's face falls comically at the memory.    
  
"Exactly. You're their favorite source of entertainment. Ruby and Mack will be good, but Ev and Ginny will blow that up with the first glass of wine."  
  
"Fine." He concedes with a baby pout.  
   
"Mack and Rubes will be here for almost a week. You'll get your chance to spend time with them. I'll even make sure to occupy myself for a little bit so you can ask them all your questions.”  
  
"Questions?"  He isn’t meeting my gaze.  
  
“All the same ones you ask me, and then for whatever reason you think their answers will be different from the answers I give you."  
  
Mike begins to protest, but stills with my hand on his cheek.  
  
"It's ok, old man. Do what you gotta do." I  punctuate with a reassuring smile.  
  
Mike's questions aren't a matter of trust or honesty, but of confirmation.    
  
I continue to busy myself with the food, and check the clock  to see how I’m doing on time.  
  
"Blip should be here any minute with the Gin and Evelyn. Can you pass me the cast iron skillet, Sweets? The 10 inch." Mike rummages in a lower cabinet, and passes me the pan.    
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Should I be worried that they need a designated driver?" Mike asks, while lightly folding my batter.    
  
"Do you really want to go there?" I ask with a pointed look.     
  
"Nope," he answers quickly, no doubt remembering all his escapades with the team.    
  
As I begin to place food in the fridge, the doorbell rings.    
  
"I'll get it." Mike slips by me, and places a feather light kiss to my temple.  
   
I reach further into the fridge to gather a few more ingredients, and hear socked feet padding on the tile.  
   
"Hey. Perfect timing..." I start. I turn toward the opposite counter, fully expecting to be greeted by Evelyn and Gin. I am met with the beaming faces of two of my very best friends.    
  
I push the ingredients in my hands haphazardly on the counter, and rush towards them. A squeal, that only Evelyn could rival, escapes me. We embrace each other, and a rapid fire conversation ensues.    
  
"Oh my goodness, you look wonderful!"  
  
"How was your flight?"  
  
"This house is _gorgeous_!"

  
"Oh my god, what smells so good?"

  
"Are you sure this is your house?"

  
We answer each other as quickly as a question is raised, and laugh through it all, happy to just be in each other's presence.

   
"Want a tour?," I ask giddily.

   
"Yes! " They answer enthusiastically in unison.  

  
I grab their hands, and race up the steps before remembering my stove full of food. I begin to descend the steps, but when the kitchen comes into view, I find Mike checking the food and lowering the temperature of a few pots as he goes. He turns to me, having heard me on the steps,  grins and shoos me away. I smile broadly, and return to my friends.  

  
I first show them the large upstairs living room, encased in large panes of glass, with a fully stocked bar. Natural light fills the room with a soft warmth. We walk through the doors onto the wrap around balcony. Seating is arranged in open clusters with low tables that overlook the greenery that melts into the lake. Below us, the pool ripples gently, surrounded by the patio and grilling station.

   
When we wander back inside, I show them the master bedroom and bath. The running theme of the house is nature and simplicity. In the place of pictures, windows let in the natural beauty around us. Two large closets house our clothes, each with a frosted glass door that have Superman and Captain America decals on them. Mike wanted it to be Superman and Wonder Woman, but let it go because Cap is my favorite. I made it very clear there was no danger in Mike ever confusing me for a man.   

  
The bathroom is one of the rooms with the highest ceilings in the house. The white cabinetry and marble make them seem even higher. Mack lets out note to hear the acoustics, and is not disappointed.  

  
We come back downstairs to finish the tour, but find Evelyn and Ginny in the kitchen. Blip is hovering over the stove, but Mike has a watchful eye on him as he sips his beer.  

  
"Hey everyone, remember Mackenzie Pace and Ruby Sinclair." I reintroduce them.

  
Everyone shuffles over excitedly to say hello. Ruby and Mack don’t care much for baseball. They only know our standing to be supportive. The first time they met Ginny, their expressions were priceless. Their faces now are still awestruck, but only for a moment.  

  
Mike makes drinks while I plate appetizers for the group. We talk amongst one another happily, but soon the women all agree it's time for the men to go.  Blip reaches inside a pot, but I swat his hand away.  

  
"Come on Doc. You have enough food for an army," Blip whines.

  
"And?" I counter.

  
"You know y'all can't eat _all_ that," Blip responds.  

  
"And why not?" Gin interjects.

  
"We can handle it," Ruby says popping a shrimp into her mouth with a flourish.

  
"All I'm saying is it's a lot of food." Blip looks longingly at the food with a dejected sigh.

  
"Are you calling us glutinous if we eat all this food?" I playfully instigate.  

  
"Do you have a problem with women who have healthy appetites?" Mack proffers.

  
Blip looks nervously at us, not understanding how his want of a slider has devolved into a potential argument about portion size and gender bias. With each question we pepper at him, we all subconsciously begin to corral Blip and Mike towards the door.  

  
"Do we need to eat tiny baby salads to go with our tiny waist?” Ruby retorts.

   
"Is that what you're saying Blip Sanders?" Evelyn asks, starting to play along.

  
"Are you saying women can't enjoy a healthy portion of..." Ruby motions to the stove, not knowing what is housed in its many pots. "Barbacoa tacos," I supply with a snicker. "Barbacoa tacos and mojitos? Hmmm?" Ruby questions with a quirked brow.  

  
"Do you know why we need this food?" I ask.

  
"We need it to keep up our strength to deal with this type of...misogynistic," Mack starts. "...propaganda" Ginny adds with fervor, "that has fueled..."  

  
Mack cuts herself off with the closing of the front door with the guys on the other side. We all spontaneously erupt into giggles and high fives, then make our way back to the kitchen. I vaguely hear Ginny say, 'I like them' and Evelyn respond with, 'This is gonna be fun’.    
I feel a soft tug on my hand before I can follow.   

  
I pivot to see Mike looking down at me with a shy smile.  

  
"Just wanted to say bye, and have fun," Mike  rumbles. I can feel the husky base of his voice all the way to my toes. He leaves me with a quick kiss that is unexpectedly still full of heat, and is out the door before I can utter a goodbye. I'm left standing in the corridor dazed and flushed.

   
I finally snap out of my internal  reverie, and finish the food while the girls mingle on the balcony. It’s a beautiful night in San Diego, perfect for entertaining outside.  

  
"Eva, get in here!" Mack yells.

  
"Do you want hot food?” I fire back.

   
"God, she's such a perfectionist," Mack says in mock exasperation.  

  
"I heard that."

  
"We know." They all reply together, and titter  in unison.

   
I bring all the food out, and settle in to eat.

   
"So, I got all sentimental, and made food that reminds me of each of you, or food that we eat together."

  
"Awww," they say together with a patronizing tone. "That so sweet."

  
"Oh, shut up," I say with a smile and continue. "For Mack, I made empanadas, croquettas, and tacos. This is what we had on our first international trip together. Gin, tacos also counts for you since that’s a regular thing for us, and gazpacho since I got you addicted in Spain. Ruby, I made savory crepes for you, and Ev, all the BBQ you can eat."

  
Food has a unique quality of calling to mind, not only the places we enjoyed it, but also the emotions that accompanied it. Soft smiles alight their faces at the memories we share, as it does mine.

  
"Ok, let's eat!" I say, utterly famished.

   
We all dig in, sampling from each dish. We talk and laugh between each bit. I love seeing them all together, finally getting to know each other.

   
"So, how did you guys meet again?" Ginny asks, through a mouth full of empanada.  

  
"Through a mutual friend," I answer. "One of my besties, Ciara,  was studying architecture at Georgetown, and met Mack in a Psych class."

  
"We started hanging out,” Mack continues. "She kept saying I reminded her of her best friend.  Eva finally came for a weekend and we just clicked."   

  
"Once she quoted Pride and Prejudice, I was sold," I add. "Then, about two years later, Mack invited us to the coast to meet her family, where we met Mack's fabulous aunt Ruby. So, we then adopted her too."

  
Ruby smiles openly at us, and the first epic weekend we had.  

  
I clear the plates, and bring out dessert. I kept it simple, with macaroons, mini cheesecakes, and brownies.

   
I sit back and watch them talk amongst each other. Ruby and Evelyn are bonding over the joys of being mothers to rambunctious boys, while balancing a demanding work life. Evelyn's restaurant is doing wonderfully, but finding the balance between that and being a wife and mother is still a challenge.  

  
Ruby has mainly been a stay at home mom, but recently finished schooling for marine biology with a focus in coral reef and thermal vents. She was accepted into a demanding internship program. I always want to be supportive of my friends, but sometimes it's hard to know what to say when I've only really been responsible for myself. I'm happy Ruby and Evelyn have someone that truly understands.   

  
Mack and Ginny are in a deep discussion about Mack's work as a women's rights lawyer, and why casual sexism is so subversive. Ginny has been looking for a cause to donate her time to that is outside the Padres. I think Mack's connections will help her to finally do that.  

  
I can't help but to feel blessed to be surrounded by these women. They all have different backgrounds that goes well beyond skin color and profession, but are all fundamentally the same.  They've used their strength to build others up through sheer determination and will, while always holding fast to their integrity. The strength of a woman  knows no bounds.  

  
While I've been observing the girls, a loopy smile has crept onto my face. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that I haven't spoken in a while.

  
"Oh, she got it bad," Evelyn says with a chuckle. "Go call him."

  
"What?" I say, confused.

  
"She did better than I thought she would, a whole two hours," Mack jests.

  
"We should have taken bets," Ginny interjects.

  
"She really has no idea what we're talking about," Ruby says with a quirked brow and smirk. "Wow."

  
"Hun. You had your ‘Mike’ smile on," Evelyn says.

  
"My what?" I ask, with a nervous chuckle.

  
"Your Mike smile," Ginny explains. "Every time you think about him you make this goofy smile and kinda stare off into space. Mike does it too."  
"I know! I've seen it," Ruby adds excitedly, the wine making her a little louder than necessary.   

  
I couldn’t deny it. I've caught myself doing that many times. But, this time my derpy smile wasn't about Mike. It was all for my girls.  

  
"Mike is always on my brain, but I'm smiling because of you guys. I'm just happy you're finally here," I explain. "And that you get along so well."

  
They all accept my answer, but I don’t think they completely buy it.  

  
"While we're on the subject of Mike..." Evelyn starts.

   
Oh god.  

  
"Why don't we play round robin?"

  
"No. Nuh uh. This always turns into jump on Eva," I object.  

  
"That’s ‘cause you're secretive," Ginny adds.  

  
"I'm not secretive, just private. And don’t talk to me about secretive ‘Ms.I-haven't-been-to-my-apartment-in-3-weeks’."I say meaningfully, and Ginny quiets immediately.

  
"I've been fighting her on this for years," Mack cuts in.

   
"Oh, so it's not just us?" Evelyn asks.

  
 And it begins.

  
"Nope. We only hear about the real stuff when it's over. ‘Yea, the  last 3 months was really hard...’" Mack starts, sarcastically imitating me. "’My dog died, Mya got in a car accident, Mike and I can't stop fighting, and I think I'm gonna get fired. Oh, and there's this strange pain in my leg that won't go away.’" Mack looks at me with cutting eyes, daring me to contradict her. "And, of course, I ask why she didn’t tell me."

  
"Let me guess, she says, 'I didn’t want to bother you'," Evelyn says, mimicking me, and the rest of the girls laugh in affirmation.  

  
"Or 'You have enough on your plate'," Ruby chimes in.

   
"Then, when we don’t tell her stuff she's like, 'Hun that’s what friends are for. That’s why I'm here.'," Mack continues.  

  
I'm starting to think I'm their favorite entertainment. Next time, Mike is definitely staying. He would be a welcome diversion.

   
"Nope. She's not a sharer. Or not with us anyway," Mack finishes.

  
"You know that’s not it," I say, finding my voice after nibbling the inside of my cheek.

  
"Really? Do tell." Ruby gestures as if she's presenting me to the girls.

   
"We all have crazy busy lives, and sometimes we only have time for a short call. I don’t want to call and only have time to dump stuff on you. That's not fair. And yes, I do usually tell Mike stuff." Mack mouths 'thank you' at my admission. "But that's only because we've seen each other almost every day for the past 3 years. If something is wrong he usually can tell, and won't let it go."

  
I may not _want_ to talk about problems or issues I'm having, but Mike knows most of the time I _need_ to talk about them. He pesters me until I do. He's stubborn like that.

  
"We all do our fair share of burrowing into our feelings until we want to share. It's not just me."  

  
"That's true, but tonight you're gonna give up the goods. I make it my personal mission," Evelyn responds with a devilish grin. "Who's with me?"

  
There is a round of cheers and giggles from all the girls.

  
"So, how do we play?" Ruby asks.

  
"We go in circle and ask whoever we want a question. If they don’t want to answer, they take a shot. See? Simple," Evelyn describes.  "But we do need something harder than wine…" Ev gets up and goes to our secret liquor stash in one of the ottomans.  

  
How in the world did she know that was there?

  
"It's a good way to start conversations and learn about each other, and if you would just tell us stuff it wouldn’t be this hard," Ginny adds with an innocent smile, that contradict her eyes that spell danger.  

  
"Sweets, we love you, but you brought this on yourself," Evelyn says while placing the tequila and shot glasses in the middle of the table.

  
"Or… I could just get drunk," I propose.

   
All the girls smirk knowingly at me. They don’t believe me for a second.

  
Evelyn rubs her chin dramatically in preparation for her first question.

   
"So..." Evelyn starts. I know her first question must be coming to me. "What was your first impression of Mike?" On 'Mike', Evelyn swiveled her head from me to Mack.

  
Mack's eyes grow wide with a mischievous glint.

     
Oh boy.  
 


	2. Human Disaster

"How do you spell human disaster?" Mack starts and the girls erupt in laughter. 

 

"Yas!" 

"Finally!" Ginny and Evelyn exclaim over top one another. 

 

"Come on Mack. You know he wasn't  _that_  bad." I say seriously but a smile still peaks through.    

"I love him now but back then he was a nightmare." Macks says dramatically.   

"Tell us everything!" Evelyn says, looking at Mack with rapt attention.    

Mack looks to me for permission to continue and I shrug in answer. Honestly, I'm curious to hear what she thought of Mike back then too. Something tells me she left a few details out.   

"My friend is an  _amazing_  judge of character. Look at who she chose as friends." Mack says, motioning to all the girls and they nod in agreement. "But Mike...made no sense. I didn't get it." She says gravely.  

"Eva is this intellectual beauty with depth and passion and her new favorite person is some random ballplayer! What? The first time I met him all I kept thinking was 'Seriously, who is this guy?" Mack dead pans, with a look of pure exasperation. She finally gives a face to what she was  _really_ feeling all those years ago.    

Gin and Evelyn bowl over in laughter, all too willing to have a laugh at Mike's expense. Ruby giggles and shakes her head at her niece's antics. Mack looks at me with a triumphant grin.   

"That whole trip I was so confused." Ruby says as the laughter finally dies down.  

"Why? I think she made it  _pretty_  clear how she felt." Gin says with another chuckle.   

"I know but when this was happening I was at home with my family. I only knew what was happening because they were texting me updates. Eva was  _so_  happy. She thought it was going great. But every text I got from Mack told a  _very_  different story." Ruby begins.   

"Ooo. I guess Eva isn’t the  _only_  one holding out." Evelyn adds cheekily.   

"Mack texted every few hours. " Ruby continues. "Her first text was  ** _'I hate him'_** , then later she texted  ** _'Why is he here?_** ' "  

My eyes widen at what my friend's words imply. I've never heard about any of this.   

"I asked her what was wrong and all she said was  ** _'ugh. I can't explain'._**  Really? I was dying. You can't say stuff like that and not explain!" Ruby says excitedly. She looks at Mack in mock condemnation.   

We all have Ruby's full attention, especially Evelyn and Ginny. They take sips from their drinks and nibble at the dessert plate without taking their eyes off her.   

"So, the next day I don’t get any messages in the morning but Eva sends pictures of them smiling and playing a game or something. I thought everything was fine. Crisis averted. But no. My phone starting vibrating non-stop. After all these years I still remember them." Ruby says with a broad grin.   

Mack is snickering behind her hand since she knows exactly what's coming next.  

"One after another, she texts-  ** _'I can't take this anymore', 'Henry and I are going for a walk', 'He might be dead when we get back', 'Will Henry help us hide the body?', 'Omg I hate him', 'Why am I here?'_**. I wanted to scream! First, why was she not using Mike's name? Second, what the flip was this man doing to make you hate him so much?" Ruby relates.   

"Did you ask her? What did she say?" Evelyn asks in a giddy rush.  

"Nothing. She never answered me." Ruby finishes dejectedly.   

"Mack!" I exclaim. "First, Oscar worthy performance because I had no idea you felt like that. But why didn't you tell me? " I ask shocked.   

"He looked at himself in  _every_  shiny surface. He strutted around like a freakin peacock! I know you. We practically share a brain. If I was annoyed you  _had_  to be. The only reason I thought Mike was there was as a favor to Henry. All you two did was fight. I thought you  _hated_  each other. But I couldn’t say that because I thought _you_  weren't having a good time. I didn't want you to feel bad that I wasn't either. So, I vented to Ruby." Mack explains.    

I can't help but chuckle at my friend's reasoning. She wasn't the only one that didn't understand Mike and I at first.   

"Henry thought the same thing." I say.   

"Really?" Ginny inquires.  

"Oh Yea. Henry stopped inviting Mike when he came to visit me because he thought our arguing was real. He thought I only tolerated Mike because of him.  He chewed Mike out one time when he thought I couldn't hear them." I add with a wistful smile, remembering Mike's puppy expression the next time he saw me. "That was just the dynamic Mike and I have always had. We..."  

"Fought for geek dominance with palpable sexual tension." Ruby says innocently, cutting me off.   

Ginny, Mack and Evelyn look at each other with wide eyes for a moment then roar with laughter. I cut my eyes at Ruby but she simply reclines in her seat, sips her drink and smirks. I can't deny her comment and she knows it.   

"So, they've always been like this?" Ginny asks through a giggle.   

"I knew it!" Evelyn declares.    

"Oh yes, they only knew how to communicate in obscure baseball facts and Star Wars references." Ruby responds knowingly.   

"At very high volumes." Mack interjects.  

"But they finally graduated to the silent conversations and eye sex." Ruby slides in with a wink.  

Girlish giggles and squeals return in full force. I try to be swallowed by the couch but fail. I can't believe I was that transparent back then. I chalk it up to reading Emma to many times and laugh with them. 

"Best night ever!" Evelyn gushes.   

"So Ruby, what did you first think of Mike?" Gin asks after we can finally form words.   

Ruby pauses for a moment thinking back to her first experience with the one and only Mike Lawson.  

"I definitely understand where Mack was coming from." Ruby begins.  

"Thank you." Mack says, with a raise of her glass and a nod in vindication. Then she takes hearty sip of her Dark and Stormy.   

"He could be a bit much at times, especially the preening and his 'I'm god's gift to baseball' attitude." Ruby continues, with a spot in impression of Mike. We all can’t help but chuckle. Mike's ego is big now but ten years ago, Petco could barely contain it.  

"But he settled really quickly into our family. At my house he helped with the dishes or dinner. He was goofy with my three-year-old and talked with my husband for hours about gadgets and tech. He was already friends with Eva and Mack, so when he finally met us, he was like family.  But what  _really_ stuck with me was how he was with Eva. Mike was very..." Ruby pauses for a moment, searching for the right word. "protective of her." She turns to me and finishes with a tender smile.  

Her last words bring me back to a conversation we had one night in Ruby's kitchen. I was 20 and had just earned my last degree. I was starting to think about finally dating, which I had shied away from in school. She told me that wanting to be taken care of doesn't make you less of a woman.   

A relationship is two people that commit to taking care of  _ea_ _ch other_. She told me to look for someone that would do anything to protect me from danger but would also protect my heart like it was his own. Ruby spoke with such conviction I know it came from her own personal experience. She chose her husband very wisely.   

"Protective how?" Ginny asks, picking up another brownie and tucking her feet back under herself again. Her question brings me back to the present.   

"Mike always made sure Eva was ok. Like he would constantly pass her water or power bars at the beach so she didn't get over heated or her sugar wouldn't drop. Or when Eva would get quiet, like we all know she does," Ruby eyes take on a meaningful glint at my notorious behavior for being a functional mute at times, "Mike noticed. Of course, he wouldn't ask if she was ok like a normal person. He would hit her in the head with a pillow or something and ask why she was so quiet. But you could tell, he was always paying attention."  

"After my mini rant, I didn’t answer Ruby cause by the end of that day I didn't hate Mike  _as_  much." Mack divulges.  

"Oh, really? What changed, my open-minded friend?" I ask with a smug grin.   

If there's one thing I know about Mack, it's that she  _always_  tries to keep an open mind and hates when other people don't do the same. It's _killing_  her that that's exactly what she did. It didn’t take her long to come to a conclusion that she didn’t like Mike. But Gin asked what was her  _first_  impression not her lasting one.   

Mack glares at me and I smile sweetly back.   

"What changed," Mack starts tersely but in good humor, "was when Eva, Henry, Mike and I, went out one night and a group of guys were giving Eva a lot of unwanted attention. Henry asked if she wanted him to step in but Eva said she would just ignore them. But when she got up to go to the bathroom, Mike went to their table. I don’t know what he said but when Eva, or any other woman walked by their table, they were silent." 

Evelyn and Ginny nod in understanding. Mike is a big teddy bear. Everyone knows that but he can be a formidable force, with or without a bat. 

"Did you know he did that?" Evelyn asks.   

"No," I say, with a soft smile and warmth spreading in my chest, "but that's my Mike."   

"Yea. When he did that the first time for me, I was so pissed. I know how to handle myself," Ginny say adamantly, "and he wouldn't do that for another player."  

"But that wouldn’t happen to another player." Mack says simply.   

"Yea." Ginny admits with a sigh as she combs her hair away from her face with her hand. "As much as I want to be treated like any other ball player, I'm not. It can be so...exhausting sometimes, ya know?" Gin says thickly.  

Evelyn wraps her arm around Ginny and pulls her as close as she can with her tiny frame while Ginny tucks her head on Evelyn shoulder. We all nod and smile warmly in support but we know we will never truly understand all that Ginny goes through.  

"It's nice to know someone has your back and is looking out for you. God, next season is gonna suck." Ginny finishes with a whine and a pout.  

"Hey, don't say that. Even though Mike's not gonna be your catcher, he'll still be around. Trust me" I say as supportive as possible while still trying to keep my voice neutral.  

If I spill the news, Mike will kill me.  

"So, you and Mike were cool after he threatened to use those guy's heads for batting practice?" Ginny asks, returning to a lighter subject. 

"No. Not exactly." Mack says dubiously. "I decided to do a little investigating first." 

I involuntarily snort but cover it quickly. 

"Of course, you did Sherlock, and what did you discover?" I say sarcastically. 

Mack glowers at me but proceeds.  

"That when you two are in public, since you can't openly argue with each other, you actually talk like normal people. That the best way to fluster Mike is to mix up the Star Wars pre-queals with the originals and walk away before he can correct you."  

 That is one tactic we all have proudly used.  

"He doesn’t need a drink to do karaoke even though he's tone deaf. That he could quote every paper you ever wrote, even the ones you didn’t publish, just like you could recite all his stats since his rookie year. Once he relaxed, he was a dork like us. He was still a little too cocky for my taste but after that visit, Mike was good in my book." Mack concludes with a contented sigh. "Well, until Eva planned his wedding."  


	3. Memory Lane

"She  _what?_ " Evelyn bellows, disbelieving. In one swift motion, her glass is on the table and she's sitting precariously on the edge of the couch.   

 _Oh crap_  

"Woah, woah, woah"  Ginny says calmly, with a raised brow and a few pats to calm Evelyn. ''You did what now?" After so many drinks, Ginny becomes a Zen master.  

"Mack is being dramatic. I  _did not_  plan Mike's wedding." I say adamantly.  

Gin and Evelyn visibly relax at my assertion but Mack squares her shoulders and glares at me over her drink. 

"I  _didn't_  plan it!" I exclaim. "I helped him understand the intricacies and nuances of wedding planning so he could make informed decisions without my presence."  

Evelyn, Mack, and Ruby look at me blankly and Ginny blinks slowing in confusion.  

"Even I don’t know what that means." Evelyn finally says flatly. 

"A few days before he and Rachel had appointments, Mike and I would go over the basics. So, when he got to the appointment he actually knew what he was talking about." I explain. 

"I was wondering when that red headed step child would show up." Ruby grinds out, like a bad taste in her mouth.  

Rachel and I have a long, sorted history and Ruby has been there for all of it. Needless to say, she does not hold Rachel in high regard.   

"Well, it was her wedding. So, yea, I guess she would pop in at some point." Mack interjects sarcastically but with a noticeable grimace.   

"Rubes, your distaste is duly noted and appreciated." I say with a raise of my glass.  "But I wasn't even thinking about Rachel. Mike was excited. He was happy. He  _wanted_  to be involved and show Rachel that he took it seriously. He’s my friend, so I helped."  

"You did a little more than help." Mack mutters.  

"Mack..." I start, ready to defend myself. 

"No, no, I believe you." She begins, in her placating lawyer voice. "But what were Mike's colors?" 

"English lavender, silver and navy." I recite. 

"And how much did they spend on flowers?" 

"$7,329.34, I think" 

"Mhmm. Lastly, why did they choose that particular venue?" 

"It had hardwood floors, so they could configure the tables any way they wanted and still have a dance floor. It had a connecting garden for pictures, and they could bring in outside caterers." I list off without a second thought. 

 _I am not helping myself._  

"I rest my case." Mack finishes, triumphantly. After a brief pause, she continues. " But, I knew my friend and by this time, I knew Mike too. I felt like Mike was setting her up to get hurt and that pissed me off."  

Mack's last words are delivered with such heat, you would think this was a recent development and not nearly 10 years ago.  

"What do you mean?" Ginny asks hesitantly.   

"Eva, didn’t talk  _to_  guys. She talked  _about_  them. If they were hot she would notice but that’s where it ended."  

Thinking about the three boyfriends I had had, including Mike, she wasn't wrong. It seemed the cons always out-weighted the pros when it came to dating. If the odds weren't in my favor, why start. I sub conscientiously adopted a ' _look, don’t touch_ ' policy, which I rarely broke.  

"Eva said she wanted to fall in love with her best friend. After their initial bickering phase, it became clear to  _everyone_  how they felt about each other. I was waiting for it to hit her in the face." Mack elucidates.   

"We had bets on when we would get the inevitable call that they finally took the leap but a very different call came." Ruby shares.  

"I thought for sure when Mike got engaged Eva would see but not my precious little mathlete." Mack says sweetly. "It made sense that Henry would be the best man. But I never thought Mike would ask her to be a groomsman, even though they were two parts of the  _Unholy Trinity_  and all. It still felt like there were too many pieces that could come crashing down and the only one that would get crushed was Eva."  

I look at my best friend and finally see the kind of stress she must have been under all those years ago. Even though Mack's a few years younger than me, she's always been my protector. I was walking in a mine field and she was trying  _desperately_  to navigate me through it.  

Our eyes meet and I smile warmly. There have been so many various struggles, bumps, and minor explosions that have led me here. Seeing how everything has turned out, no doubt makes it easy for Mack to return my smile.  

Ginny and Evelyn have been listening quietly but now they look like they want to burst.  

"I think I've had too much to drink because it sounds like you not only watched the man you love get married to another woman but you helped plan said man's wedding and were said man's groomsmen?" Ginny postulates with a squint.  

"Why do you keep saying 'said'? Just say Mike. It's Mike, right?" Evelyn asks, slightly confused. 

Evelyn violently shooshes Ginny, wanting to hear my response, then realizes  _she's_ the one that interrupted my response. 

"Even in your impaired state, yes, that is what indeed happened." I admit.  

Evelyn and Ginny stare at me gob smacked.  

Ginny leans forward with her hands resting on her knees. She asks me, with deliberate slowness, "Are you insane?" 

I shake my head slowly and snicker to myself. "Insane? No. Blind? Yes." I answer. 

"I  _still_  don’t know how you did it." Ruby adds, placing her phone down. She was most likely checking in at home, making sure the house and its energetic occupants are still in one piece.  

"Follow me." I say, as I rise from my seat. "I'll show you." 

The girls trail behind me, down the steps and through the living room, with minimal fumbling and a few giggles. We continue down the hallway that house the first guest room and bath on the left and my office that adjoins Mike's on the right. We stop at a small three-sided alcove.  

Pictures of all different sizes blanket the three walls.  They emanate from a wrought iron  _'HEM'_  in beautiful script that adorns the center wall. The alcove is dedicated to the friendship that started it all-Henry, Mike and I.  

Essentially, it's a photographic timeline of our friendship. 

The left wall starts with candids of just Henry and I-studying in the library, throwing leaves at each other in matching sweatshirts with our college insignia, bundled up in layers of clothes, smiling gleefully with snowcapped mountains peeking behind us and other random moments we chose to capture.  

Then Mike finally makes an appearance.  

I still find the earliest picture of Henry, Mike and I, hilarious. It was about six months into Henry's rookie year. I decided to take a trip to one of his games and the Padres happened to win, big. I braved a club so I could celebrate with Henry and the team. We were all chatting happily but it seemed the only person Mike wanted to chat up was me. He wasn’t too keen on the new rookie stealing his thunder. It was clear Mike wanted to use me to get under Henry's skin.  

He tried every trick in his arsenal to get my attention. It was so much fun watching Mike get flustered at my lack of interest. Eventually I decided to have some fun of my own and hopefully shut him up in the process.  

The next time Mike decided to flirt, I leaned in seductively and told him other woman may find his relentless need to be charming impressive. But if he  _really_  wanted to impress me, I paused for good measure, he should quit all grandstanding and giving up runs in the 7th.  

Mike's whole face dropped then turned into a mix of embarrassment and intrigue while I smiled sweetly. Henry was slouched in the middle of us, trying hopelessly to cover his Cheshire grin. The picture was snapped at that exact moment.  

The girls clutter in front of the left and middle walls. Further down the wall, Henry, Mike and I, smile broadly on a beach with crystal blue waters at our knees. They comment on my shorter hair and softer physique in contrast to Mike's leaner frame and baby face.  

Of course there are pictures of my boys in all their Padre glory. My absolute favorite is a snap shot of them in the dugout smiling at each other during a game, their jersey numbers and names proudly on display. Lawson, 36 and Patrick, 18.   

In one of the only pictures taken of me alone, I'm standing on the pitcher's mound, with Petco sprawled around me. I'm holding up my very own Padres jersey. Mike and Henry surprised me with it as an early graduation present. 

The girls finally get to the wedding pictures. Ginny and Evelyn's reactions  _do not_  disappoint.  

" _Dang_  girl." 

"That suit is  _killer._ "  

"Where did you find those shoes?"  

"That matte lip though."  

Gin roves over all the pictures but comes back to the full length shot of my suit as if she's taking notes. 

All Mike's groomsmen were teammates, sans me, so there were touches of the Padres everywhere. Mike had Padre jerseys made that said  _groom_  and  _groomsmen_  on the back. We showcased them in a photo with all our backs to the camera except you can see my smiling profile and my jersey reads  _groomsmaiden_ _._ A few more pictures show us with easy smiles at the bar, champagne in hand and dancing together.  

"I know it’s a little weird that I was in Mike's wedding but honestly... it was a great day. I enjoyed every minute of it..."  

* * *

 

 _Mike, Henry and I all silently agreed we would wake up early and make breakfast, just the three of us. Mike worked on the bacon and Henry, the eggs. I mixed the batter for waffles and left small puddles of it in odd places just to hear them whine and pout. A little batter never hurt anyone._  

 _We huddled together on the deck and ate to the sound of the crashing waves. We spoke and laughed as usual but in more hushed tones. Something told us this wasn't likely to happen again._  

 _The three_ _other groomsmen came down_ _a_ _short while later._ _Before we knew it, it was time to get ready_.  

 _Mike let me have free reign on what I wore. I wanted to blend in as much as possible with the other groomsmen. So, I chose a wide-leg tux, sky high woman wing tips, complete with suspenders_ _and a bow tie_ _. My sister made sure it fit snuggly, as to show a hint of femininity.  I opted for a slick side bun_ _,_ _diamond s_ _tud_ _earrings_ _and simple makeup-a deep berry lip, soft golden eye, punctuated with long lashes._    

 _The ceremony was lovely but the real party was the reception. You couldn’t go two feet without seeing a_ _tray full_ _of_ _horderves_ _or champagne. Henry and I told everyone if they had a problem to came to us._ _Mike and Rachel_ _'s only concern was_ _to enjoy their day to the full._  

 _It was amazing to have all our families in one room. It was like a mini family reunion. Mike may not have had blood relatives attend but no one_ _could_ _say he wasn't surround by his family._  

 _My dad was_ _in heaven with so many Padres roaming around._ _I found it odd how so many people asked how I was with such a sad smile. My best friend just got married! Why wouldn’t I be happy. We danced, ate, and laughed_ _til_ _the wee hours of the morning. In the_   _blink of an eye, it was time for Rachel and Mike to leave_.   

_Mike came back from changing into his travel clothes and led me outside. For a moment he just looked at me, a small smile playing on his lips. He leaned against the car with his hands tucked in his pockets. My hair was still secure in its bun but my makeup had faded. My tie and jacket were discarded long ago and a few buttons of my shirt were undone, leaving my suspenders on display. It was as if he was drinking in my appearance one last time._

_Mike pushed off the car then wrapped me in a tight embrace, a small sigh escaping him. He murmured his thanks in my ear for being a part of his special day. He pulled back and reached in the car to hand me a heavy package, in simple brown paper. Mike looked at me with tender eyes and placed a kiss to my cheek just as Rachel, her parents and Henry came out. We all said our goodbyes and they were off to their honeymoon destination and wedded bliss._

_Henry and I went back in to_ _the_ _reception to_ _h_ _ave_ _one last drink and dance. I drove back to the beach house and Henry went back with his parents. I showered, scrubbing off the day's activities and slipped on my_ _pj's_ _._ _Sitting_ _cross legged on my bed with the package in front of me_ _,_ _I thought it had to be a gag gift_ _._ _Mike had already given us our groomsmen gifts the night before, at the rehearsal dinner._  

 _A small piece of white paper_ _was_ _taped to the wrapping. I gently detached it. It read:_  

 **_Maybe I'm not an unlucky bastard after all. Thank you~ ML_ **  

 **_P.S Leave the top_ ** **_one_ ** **_for last_ **  

 _I smile at his sentiment but I'm still_ _not sure_ _what to expect. I remove the wrapping and am astounded to find a large glass cube. The glass is_ _tinted pale turquoise_ _and edged_ _in rose gold._ _Each side and top_ _have a_ _small_ _latch_ _and plaque that match the edging._ _The box alone would have been a beautiful gift._  

 _The four side plagues read in an elegant font-Geek, Nerd, Woman, and Traveler. The top says Family._  

 _I_ _open_ _the first_ _latch that's labeled 'Geek'_ _and am greeted with a... watch. I can't help but giggle. I guess my secret obsession wasn't so secret. The band is a soft black silicone_ _with a chrome case._ _The face is also black but instead of numbers there are the emblems_ _and insignias_ _of the characters that Mike and I first bonded over. Star Wars, both Empire and Rebel, Marvel_ _heroes_ _, and DC legends are all represented. I notice in awe that in the place of where an 11 would be, its replaced by a TARDIS. I place it on my wrist to see how it looks and bounce happily. I delicately place it back in its compartment, eager to see what's behind the other plaques._  

 _Next, I open the latch labeled 'Woman'. Small gold hearts depict a tree waving in the wind on a pale pink background with small diamonds around the face. The 'Nerd' watch had mathematical symbols and short algorithms to equal each of the numbers. 'Traveler' has a map for the face and a small airplane that navigates around it._  

 _I reach over to open the last compartment but hesitate. Momentary unease creeps into my chest but quickly dissipates._   

 _I open the final latch to find a watch with a slightly larger face and no band. I pick it up and a delicate silver chain cascades down-a pocket watch_ _,_ _worn as a necklace._  

 _A script 'P' is etched on the glass and small sapphires are loose at the bottom with the gears exposed behind it. It's far more ornate than I would ever think to buy for myself. It's absolutely stunning._   

 _I pop the back open and_ _to find_ _a picture of Mike, Henry and I from my graduation. Mike's face is turned toward us, his smile shining while Henry and I smile broadly at the camera, despite my lopsided cap. I can still hear our laughter after the photo was taken. I snap it closed_   _and feel the indention of an inscription on the back._   

 **_Time_ ** **_stands still_ ** **_for us. Day_ ** **_or night_ ** **_,_ ** **_I'm here_ **  

 _I gingerly place it back in the box with unsteady hands and close the top._   _I sit back and think about each perfect detail and all the planning that Mike must have put into it. The themes he chose, his choice of colors, even the box they came in, all capture the facets of my personality, perfectly._  

 _For the first time, I finally see what my life now is. It took one of the most precious gifts I ever received but I finally see._  

 _Gone were the calls at all hours or the spare of the moment adventures during the off-season._ _G_ _one were the late nights at_ _each other's houses when_ _we just didn’t want to be alone._  

 _Mike_ _had a wife. He was married. How did that happen?_  

 _I couldn't help but envision thanking him for the watches-going over every detail that he designed_ _or_ _specifically_ _chosen_ _for me. I could see his face light up when he saw me wearing one, like when I randomly wore a Padre hat or jersey._  

 _The inscription is beautiful and speaks volumes to our friendship but in action,_ _it_ _now_ _falls_ _short._  

 _At that realization, my chest constricts and each heart beat feels like it would crack a rib. My stomach clenches and tightens with spasms. I reach for my phone and text Mike._  

 **_They're_ ** **_perfect. Thank you_ **  

 _I try my best to control my breathing but it seems futile. I decide to text someone that always seems to have the right words and who I know wouldn’t hold back the truth._  

 **_EC_ ** _-_ _Mike is married_  

 **_MP_ ** _-_ _Yea_  

 _Mack's s_ _peedy_ _reply lets me know she's been waiting patiently for this conversation all day._  

 **_MP_ ** _-_ _How are you?_  

 **_EC_ ** _-_ _I can’t breathe but he’s happy and I wouldn’t change it_  

 _I wait_ _a minute and add_ _-_  

 **_EC_ ** _-What_ _does that mean_ _?_  

 **_MP_ ** _-_ _Oh Eva_  

 _With those two words, the warm smiles and eyes of pity make sense. Everyone saw it but me._  

 _Mike was never_ _mine_ _. Our words never went beyond friendship_ _but_ _I still feel_ _like_ _I_ _gave him up_ _. It feels like goodbye._  

* * *

  

"Are you saying you figured out you loved Mike the day of his wedding?" Evelyn asks.  

"Technically, it was the next day but yea." I answer. 

All Evelyn can manage to say is 'wow', which is a rare feat.  

We make our way to the kitchen and I put on a pot of coffee.  

"How old were you?" Ginny asks, sitting at the island.  

"22." 

"What did you do?" She inquires softly.   

"There's not much I could do."  I admit with a shrug, while placing mugs on the island then resting my back to the counter. "Mike was here in San Diego and part time in La. I was traveling  _a lot_  for work then was in DC. We caught up every few months." 

Even though, after really hard losses, I would call.   

"When he was chosen as Captain I had champagne delivered by a Wookie to the club house." I say and the girls chuckle.  

We talked for almost 3 hours that day. Mike seemed starved for conversation. Not long after, I found out why.  

"Mike was still my friend. That didn’t change. There were a few times over the years that I really needed him and he was there. It all worked out ok. For a while it was hard seeing them together but also, Rachel  _really_  didn’t want me around. So, win win, or lose lose. However you want to look at it." 

"What did she think? That you were gonna steal Mike in the night?"  Evelyn asks in exasperation.  

"1," I start, listing on my fingers, "My mama raised me right. A home wrecker, I am not. 2,  _If_ I stole Mike, we would probably get ice cream and talk on the beach. But Rachel wanting me as far away as possible had more to do with Henry than Mike."   

"How?"  


	4. Dangerous One

 

"So, a few days ago, as you know, Mike and I went to an anniversary party." I say, pouring the coffee into mugs. 

"Aka the red wedding" Evelyn interjects.  

"Oh god, is that what they're calling it?" I ask with amused bewilderment.  

Evelyn holds up her finger on her right hand and expertly navigates to the trending topics page on Twitter with her left. She hands me her phone and the number 1 spot reads #RedWedding36. 

"Geez, I'm never getting used to this." I say shaking my head. I take a tentative sip from my cup, then continue my explanation. "The couple are friends of Mike and the wife, Jennifer, was Rachel's maid of honor." 

"Dang." Mack says softly, no doubt thinking that my night was far more complicated than I ever expected.  

"So, Rachel was there?" Gin asks. 

"Yes. In fact, she was." I answer, utterly exhausted with the whole encounter.  

"Does she know about..." Ruby inquires hesitantly.  

"She figured it out, a little slower than expected but yes." 

"That's when it all blew up, I'm guessing." Mack interjects, ready to defend me if the opportunity arises.   

"Actually, no. She was pissed  _well_ before that." 

 

 _I arrived at Evelyn's house about two hours before Mike and I were set to leave. My hair was set in the biggest rollers I could find, wrapped in a hounds-tooth silk scarf. I was greeted with the smiling faces of the twins and a kiss on the_ _cheek from Blip. Evelyn_ _excitedly_ _ushered me upstairs towards the spare bedroom with the vanity. At hearing the happy chatter of Evelyn and I, Ginny catches the ball she was tossing above her and sits up from her lounged position on the bed. She tucks the ball in her hoody pocket, rises from the bed and greets me warmly. She retakes her position on the bed but turns toward us, propped up on her elbow._  

 _I look at the vanity counter and I'm honestly a little scared. It's covered in an assortment of makeup palettes and brushes, the like I've never seen. Evelyn sees my face and simply says "Can't hurt to be prepared." I place my garment bag on the ledge of the wardrobe and unzip it, knowing that Evelyn will want to see my dress for inspiration. As the delicate fabric cascades down, Ginny lets out a low whistle with a grin and Evelyn nods enthusiastically but her face suddenly turns forlorn._  

 _"Sorry Eva, but you're not going to make it to the party." Evelyn starts, shaking her head._  

 _"Why?" I ask nervously. "I thought two hours was enough time to get ready."_  

 _"Doesn’t matter." She says with a sigh. "Mike is either is going have a heart attack..."_  

 _"Or you're not going make it out the car." Ginny finishes with a devilish smirk._  

 _At their words I grow even more confident in my choice of dress. I sit in the chair at the vanity, shrug, and look at Evelyn over my shoulder._  

 _"What's a girl to do?" I ask innocently. "I can't help it if he has a weak heart or is an expert at driving...stick."_  

 _Ginny snickers behind her hand and Evelyn nods like a proud mama._  

 _"At least he'll die happy." Evelyn says grinning. "Now eyes closed, time to make those eyes pop." I smile, close my eyes, and slightly tilt my head back. I'm all too familiar with this beauty ritual._  

 _Ginny and I share small tidbits about our prospective days first then Evelyn gets our undivided attention. Ginny and I see each other every day. If it's not delivering updated heat maps and stats at Petco then its workouts at my house with Mike or just a few minutes of girl time in my office. But with Evelyn's restaurant having become a staple in the city, our time spent all together as lessened considerably. We don't want to waste time rehashing our days when two-thirds of our group already knows what's happened. We want to hear about the latest gossip and sous chef melt downs before anything else._  

 _Evelyn finishes my makeup expertly.  Her choice of eye makeup is darker than usual but the golden accents strike the perfect balance for subtle drama. My lips will match my dress flawlessly to complete the look. I slip into my dress and it fits like a glove. Ginny and Evelyn a_ _pply_ _a generous amount of double sided tape just to be safe. I take my hair down and Evelyn brushes the curls until they are soft waves, nestled over my shoulder. I admire my reflection and feel a wave of renewed excitement for the evening to come._  

 _I'm ready almost 30 minutes before Mike is to arrive. As I sit at the kitchen island, Blip makes snacks for the boys. He then pushes a small plate in front of me and says "You make it look easy but beauty is hard work. Gotta keep your strength up." I smile at the compliment and eat happily. Who knew pretzels, cheese cubes and grapes could be so good._  

 _We talk and eat our munchies until I hear a new set of shoes on the tile. I look up and see Mike at the edge of the kitchen. A broad smile graces my face at the sight of him. He wears a light grey suit with a subdued grey plaid pattern. It's paired with a Padre blue tie with the tiniest white dashed pattern and a coordinating hankie. But I realize that he has yet to move. He's caught in mid-step, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar. As I rise from my stool, I register Ginny and Evelyn bouncing on their toes with their arms linked looking from Mike to me and back._  

 _"I think she broke him." Evelyn gleefully says in a stage whisper._  

 _I traverse the few feet between Mike and I, taking in how Mike's eyes rove over my body with every step. I'm now certain that I chose the right dress._  

 _My gown is made of a deep crimson silk. My arms are bare and the sweetheart neckline isn't plunging but shows a fair bit of cleavage. The flowing fabric has no choice but to cling to my every curve until it glides from my knees to the floor._  

 _"Hey babe." I say, reaching for Mike's shoulders. His arms instinctively coil around me. Mike's left hand finds the small of my back and I see his eye quirk. He was anticipating the feel of smooth silk but is met with buttery skin.  I look up at Mike through my lashes as a gentle smile finally forms on his lips as it does mine._  

 _Mike lowers his forehead to meet mine and my eyes flutter shut. I relish his firm hold and the warmth he radiates. "You look beautiful." He breathes into my ear. His ever-present innuendo riddled tone has vanished. I open my eyes and am met with a look of pure awe. Butterflies form in my stomach more quickly than any racy comment ever could._  

 _Blip clears his throat and soon Gin and Evelyn follow suit until they attract Mike's attention._  

 _"_ _Bro, you good?_ _" Blip grins, ribbing Mike. But Mike is never one to be rushed. He returns his gaze to me. His eyes crease at the edges with affection as he runs the pad of his thumb over my cheek. The physical sensation and emotional pull leave me mesmerized. Mike leans down and leaves a sweet kiss to my lips. He pulls away far too soon for my liking, tucks me into his side, and turns to the group._  

 _"Sorry Blip, were you saying something?" Mike asks, with his signature smirk._  

 _Blip's witty remarks momentarily dry up on his tongue when he sees Mike glance down to the woman at his side, smiling yet again. Mike's relaxed postured and easy_ _smiles_ _are the telltale signs of a blissfully happy man. It was once a rarity_ _to see this side of Mike but it has since become the norm. He looks at his closest friend and can't help the swell of happiness at the sight. Mike wears contentment very well._  

 _"Nah man." Blip says with a_ _grin_ _. "Just making sure you keep it kid friendly."  This may not have been the first time we've heard this. Over the last few months our hands have at times developed a life of their own. We've been caught by the youngest of prying eyes more times than we and the Sander's parents have liked. "We would like to wait at least a few more months to have “the” talk with the kids."_ 

 _"Sorry. I forgot." Mike replies sheepishly. "But, I got this one." Mike guides me toward the island and turns to Ginny._  

 _"Now Rookie, when a man and a woman love each sometimes they want to express that love..." Mike starts, pragmatically._  

 _A chuckle escapes Evelyn and Blip but they quickly cover it with a cough at seeing Ginny's scowl. Mike sees me snort into my hand and is all too proud of himself. He tries to press on but is cut off by Ginny._  

 _"Thanks Cap_ _._ _B_ _ut_ _from_ _what I've heard, you're the one that needs a little help_ _in 'expressing that love'_ _._ _" Ginny counters smoothly._  

 _"Oh" Evelyn and Blip bellow then high five Ginny._  

 _"Wait, how did I get pulled into this?" I ask, credulously._  

 _"Shouldn’t have laughed." Ginny answers in her husky timbre._  

 _Mike smiles at his rookie despite the dig at his masculinity and sexual prowess then looks down at me._  

 _"And you laughed because..." Mike asks, with a predatory gaze._  

 _"Friendship, feminism, and this overwhelming sense of...truth."_  

 _"Excuse me." Mike says, taken aback. "Truth?"_  

 _I smile sweetly and shrug. Something about this dress has me feeling bold. I feel like if I don’t cause at least a little trouble in it then what's the point._  

 _Mike leans to my ear as his grip tightens on my waist. "I'll show you truth." He says in a growl. I muster all my strength as to not shiver at his words._  

 _"I'm sure you will," I counter with a pause, "one of these days." I finish and saunter over to Evelyn and Ginny before he has a chance at a rebuttal._  

 _Blip walks back into the kitchen from checking on the twins in the living room. He only saw a snippet of our interchange but Mike's astonished face speaks volumes. "You picked a dangerous one, didn’t you?" Blip asks with a conspiring grin, much like Evelyn's._  

 _Mike turns in my direction and I sense his eyes on me. I look across the counter_ _and put on my most dazzling smile._  

 _Mike turns back to Blip and scrubs his face with his hand._ _"It's_ _going to be a long, long night." Mike mutters more to himself but loud enough for Blip to hear._  

 _"Sorry, Bro." Blip chuckles, clapping Mike on the back. "Price we pay for marrying beautiful women."_  

 _We all talk for a few more minutes then Mike and I decide to leave a little early. It'll be nice to have a quiet drive and not worry if we hit traffic. Mike grabs my bag from upstairs and stows it in the backseat beside our present for Jennifer and Jeremy._  

 _As we ease onto the expressway, I toy with the radio and decide on a Country station, much to Mike's surprise. He always lets me choose the music. Mike has varied taste but when it comes to choosing music, his inner playlist consists of the same three songs. It's easier to give me control from the beginning. He also finds it comical how vastly my musical choices change from day to day or sometimes hour to hour._  

 _However, the last few weeks has been almost non-stop Country. Every time I choose a Country song it's like he still can't quite believe it. I hum lightly to myself, waiting for the winding road and seaside to take effect. I recently learned_ _that when Mike's mind is preoccupied, his propensity to be tone-deaf nearly disappears completely. Whether Mike hums the melody or mumbles the lyrics absentmindedly, his tone becomes smooth and sweet._  

 _Mike is definitely preoccupied. He's barely spoken in the 15 minutes we've been traveling. However, it has nothing to do with the increased traffic or sprawling landscape. His side glances towards me haven't gone unnoticed. Especially since every look is coupled with a tightening of his grip on the steering wheel. I turn towards the window to hide my grin. I compose my face and decide to poke the bear. My bear._  

 _"Babe, you ok?" I ask, using my most trusting tone. "You seem tense?"_  

 _"No. I'm fine." Mike says, rubbing my knee tenderly. After a moment he continues. "Not that you don’t always look amazing but, why that dress?" It's not lost on me that there is more emphasis on 'that'._  

 _To drive you crazy, I think to myself._  

 _"Not sure." I begin, only telling him part of the truth. "It's been in my closet for almost 3 years. I tried it on and felt good in it. I don’t know. Maybe these last few years has taught me to be more comfortable with attention."_  

 _Mike nods in agreement. He knows first-hand the metamorphosis I've had to go through over the years. I've been in the public eye for a while now, even more so before I was a Padre. I always found comfort in knowing that most of the attention I got had a purpose. I was there to educate, to persuade, and many times defend. My words were the buffer between the audience and myself. Becoming a Padre meant using many of those same skills. But I also became a face, a body to be commentated on. There was no way to circumvent it. I had to adapt. I had to adapt and learn to accept my new circumstances. With that came a newfound confidence that has been vital to keeping myself sane but also having a little fun._  

 _I return from my musings and look at Mike. His eyes have narrowed into a glare and I chuckle._  

 _"And what's so funny?" He asks._  

 _"You," I say and giggle again. "and your internal battle of wanting to show me off or not wanting_   _a_ _man to see anything besides my ankles."_  

 _Mike sighs knowing that I read his mind once again._  

 _"Don't worry. The only attention I'm out to get is yours." I say sweetly._  

 _"Oh, I know. I'm just glad you know." Mike says with a smirk._  

 _"Whatever old man." I say, shaking my head fondly._  

 _Before long we pull on to the circular driveway of the palatial colonial style home, fit with a white picket fence. I check my makeup in the visor mirror as Mike comes to my door to open it. He offers his hand as I step onto the brick pavement. Mike closes the door behind me and I slowly push him against the door. I smile suggestively and move toward him until I'm millimeters from his lips. I ghost over his bottom lip then pull back. "Your tie is crocked." I whisper. Mike lets out a sound that’s a mix of a laugh and a groan. I smile up at him and straighten his tie._  

 _"Can I just say, you are making that Hugo Boss sing." Placing my hands on his lapel._  

 _Mike chuckles and kisses my forehead._  

 _"Just cause I'm an aging catcher doesn’t mean I'm not still pretty." Mike says rubbing his beard smugly._  

 _"So true. So true." I say sarcastically and Mike cuts his eyes playfully._  

 _Mike takes my hand and we walk towards the front door. I can hear music faintly swirl in the air. As Mike rings the bell he sees my hand fidget beside me._  

 _"Hey." He calls softly. "It's gonna be fine. I promise. We wouldn’t have come if I thought there was going to be a problem. Trust me."  Mike says giving my hand a reassuring squeeze._  

 _I nod and let out a calming breath. Rachel and Jennifer are the best of friends. I don’t know how much she's told Jennifer about what transpired between her and Mike, especially the parts that involve me. I can handle it being a little awkward but not if it becomes catty or rude._  

 _With the sound of the door opening we both look up. Jeremy and Jennifer are the most elegant whirlwind of excitement I've ever seen. They welcome us inside and we exchange hugs like we're all old friends. Jen wears a gorgeous strapless silk organza tea length gown. Jeremy looks dapper in a tux but opted out of the tie._  

 _"We're so happy you could make it!" Jen says pulling back from the embrace._  

 _"Thank you so much for inviting us. Your home is beautiful." I say genuinely, taking in the high ceilings and exquisite architecture._  

 _"Thank you. It's about time me got_ _Mike_ _back here." Jen says with a disapproving look._  

 _Mike looks contrite as Jen leans in for a hug._  

 _"Glad to have you back." She says to Mike with a warm smile._  

 _"And you, Mrs. Eva, are looking lovely. But I must say, I'm disappointed." Jeremy says gravely. "No suit?" He asks with a smirk._  

 _"No, not this time." I reply with a chuckle. I guess my tux left quite an impression_ _all those years ago_ _._   

_Jennifer takes me by the arm and graciously gives us a tour around the house. It strikes me the resemblance this home has with the house Mike and Rachel shared. Every room is exquisitelydecorated and orderly. But there is a sense each space has been touched, lived in. As ifeach surface holds a tale about the family's life. The patterned sofa seems to dance with captured giggles. While the lamp casts a soft shadow of a shared dance at midnight. There is an innate warmth that the Lawson abode never quite found. _

_Quite a lot has changed since Mike was last here but that innate warmth of the home has not. We walk past one of two lounges that is decorated in subtle hues and modern decor. Connected on either side of a large play room are two_ _bedrooms. One houses the dainty furnishings worthy of a princess and the other the rugged trappings of a budding preteen._  

 _Mike pokes is head into the playroom and is downhearted to find it empty. He has always had a soft spot for their youngest, Hannah. She is the only one that can call him 'Teddy', short for Teddy Bear, and get away with it._  

 _We roam from room to room making small talk until Jeremy brings up the Padres current season. He congratulates Mike on successfully splitting time on First and Catcher. We are currently dominating the West division and stand 2_ _nd_ _in the League.  If we win the next string of games against Arizona we'll pull into 1_ _st_ _. It's a month until October and the Clubhouse is feeling the nervous excitement that only a well-played season can bring._  

 _I'm pleasantly surprised when Jeremy asked me about a fairly complex predictive algorithm that I helped to implement. Jeremy's a mechanical engineer that lives and breathes algorithms. Much like I did before falling in love with the game, he finds more enjoyment in dissecting and analyzing baseball more than actually watching it. Jennifer and Mike let out an affectionate huff at our combined nerdiness and walk ahead._  

 _We reach the small ballroom and find the gathering to be in full swing. Smooth Jazz seems to play in time with the small twinkling lights decorating the walls and ceiling. The muted light makes the atmosphere feel all the more_ _intimate_ _and_ _cozy._ _Tall_ _, narrow_ _tables are placed around the room gushing with appetizers and champagne._  

 _Mike waits by the entrance for me and takes my hand,_ _as we_ _enter together. Guest converge on Jen and Jeremy as Mike and I make a beeline for the hors d'oeuvres. I grab two flutes of champagne as Mike makes a plate for us to share. The hairs of my neck stand on end, a sure sign we are being watched. We turn towards the couples mingling and the dawn of recognition plays on their faces. Mike smirks softly and steers us toward a small group of guests he knows._  

 _They welcome us cheerfully, especially Ian and Savannah. They are an adorable couple that Mike affectionately refers to as 'fun size'. Once we_ _g_ _e_ _t_ _the mandatory pleasantries out the way, they_ _pounced_ _._  

 _"Eva, we just have to say, we're huge fans!"_  

 _"Can we call you Eva?"_  

 _"Or do you prefer Ms. Clarke?" They ask in a flurry of excitement._  

 _It's still disconcerting to meet people who know exactly who_ _I am_ _while_ _I_ _know_ _barely anything_ _about them._  

 _"Nice to meet you._ _Eva_ _is fine." I say with a smile. "I take it you're_ _Padre fans_ _._ _”_  

 _"Oh, of course. We have to support Mikey here." Ian says, clapping Mike on the shoulder. I raise my brow at the name and Mike shrugs, not phased in the slightest._  

 _"W_ _e've followed your career since college_ _._ _Well_ _,_ _I have_ _. I_ _an_ _didn’t know you_ _un_ _til_ _the second_ _S_ _tate of_ _U_ _nion_ _."_ _Savannah gushes. "_ _Your work was_ _simply_ _phenom_ _e_ _nal_ _."_  

 _I let out a chuckle and sip_ _my champagne,_ _slightly_ _embarrassed by their praise_ _._ _"I c_ _an_ _'_ _t really call it my work._ _" I emphasize 'my'._ _"_ _We were just a group of thoughtful and committed citizens_ _,_ _trying to do our best to affect change."_  

 _"You're b_ _eing modest._ _" Ian continues. "You left y_ _our mark on plenty of bills_ _._ _Alternative energy_ _, Child Advocacy..._ _" He knowingly ticks off._ _"And our_ _personal favorite, The Police Accountability Act_ _." Savannah finishes._  

 _I worked on so many bills in various capacities. Still,_ _those three will always mean the most to me._ _They were all such hard fought battles. The latter bathed in controversy._ _Long_ _, seemingly unending,_ _debates and sleepless nigh_ _ts were of no consequence if they were graced with the President's signature_ _._ _I_ _n due time, all three bills were_ _._  

 _My head is_ _bowed as I coyly smile at_ _Savannah and Ian's retelling of my accomplishments._ _Mike_ _lightly_ _hip checks_ _me, his hands full with a plate and glass of champagne._ _I look up to find his face_ _beaming_ _._ _His_ _unabashed pride in me evident._ _He always said he was my biggest fan. I smile openly at his twinkling eyes of adoration_ _and lean closer into his side._  

 _Savannah and Ian rattle off questions about how close Senior Staff really was, if we still talked and various other questions. I'm happy to answer every one._ _I blindly reach down to pluck an olive off the plate but my grasp_ _only_ _car_ _esses_ _air._ _I_ _look over at the plate to find it empty._  

 _I raise my brow at Mike to say 'Really dude?' He shrugs then_ _sweetly_ _smiles_ _at_ _me_ _._ _I try to glare in annoyance but Mike's smile makes it very difficult. His_ _smile grows wider at my futile efforts. Mike's beard tickles my neck right before he_ _leaves a light kiss_ _below my ear. He_ _turns to get_ _more_ _hors d'oeuvres_ _, all without_ _saying_ _a word_ _._  

 _I sway_ _s_ _lightly at the physical gesture but_ _quickly_ _compose_ _myself_ _._ _Dang that man and his sneak attacks. The conversation had_ _turned toward the Padres and I_ _hadn't_ _noticed. I also hadn't_ _a certain_ _red-head_ _get closer and closer to our little cluster until our eyes me_ _e_ _t_ _._  


	5. Milestones

 

_Rachel gives me a quick, assessing once over and I do the same. My feelings aside, I can't say the woman doesn’t have impeccable style. Her hunter green chiffon gown pairs beautifully with her_ _auburn_ _hair. The timeless pairing is dazzling. Rachel eyes return to mine and she raises her brow. Maybe my dress or merely my presence has caught her by surprise. In any case, I allow neither to have an effect on my mood. I simply nod in acknowledgement and smile._

_There is a_ _clamber_ _of happy embraces and greetings in my peripheral vision as Rachel wades through our group. I have no choice but to turn towards her as she meets Savannah with a friendly kiss to the cheek._  

_Rachel finally turns toward me and leaves the smile she wore for the rest of the group mostly intact._

_"Hi Eva. I didn’t see you and Mike come in." She says coolly._

_"Oh, we haven't been here long." I say, flashing a smile. I take solace in a generous sip of champagne._

_"I'm surprised you two have time for something like this. The League has you two pretty tied up."_ _Why does it seem everything she says is tinted with a negative connotation?_

_"Well, that's to be expected." Mike says, ignoring the customary greetings. "We're only 3 games from taking the pennant."_ _Reclaiming_ _his spot beside me, Mike deftly lifts my champagne glass from my hand and replaces it with our refilled plate. "But this is a milestone."_

_I see an abundance of olives and we smile softly at each other before turning back to Rachel. The moment only lasts a fraction of a second but I'm positive Rachel caught it. She's unlikely to miss the impact of an eyelash on my cheek with the grade of concentration she is leveling_ _us with. I notice the group around us is listening intently to our interaction and a few new bodies have moved mysteriously closer. I inwardly shrug. Whatever transpires is reactionary. I can only control myself._

_"I'm sure it is. You're so close to getting everything you've always wanted." There's a palpable harsh subtext to her words, though her smile never wavers. I may have imagined it, but I swear her eyes flicked to me during her supposition._

_"Honestly, these last 3 games are just a technicality." I say brightly, toward our group. Between Mike and Rachel, baseball is riddled with various sinkholes but it's still safer than their past marital unrest. I pray my small interjection will steer the conversation onto more stable ground._

_"Even if we lose them, we're still 19 games ahead the Cubs. We are the National League champions. It's just not official until next week." Our circle hoots and hollers in congratulations. We foster the attention of many mystified_ _guests_ _, so we quickly quiet but the sound of clinking glasses and soft laughter continues._

_No one anticipated our monumental season, even if Mike argues relentlessly to the contrary. On paper, we didn’t look that impressive. Our starting roster of players was practically unchanged. However, after the restructuring of the team, partially due to my suggestions, we found a new edge. A week into the_ _pre-_ _season, the buzz surrounding our team was deafening. Ginny was back in top form which added even more to the hysteria. Within a month, we became the behemoth from the West._

_We decimated each opposing team like child's play. It was only natural to want to talk to the Captain. Mike seemed to be happily surprised as the rest of the team or jokingly took all the credit. But in short order, it became evident that our wins were not sheer happenstance. Clear strategy was at play, though no one could pin down exactly what it was._ _The media_ _continually theorized about our newly implemented plans but by the next game they were swiftly proved wrong. Every sports show wanted desperately to interview our team in hopes_ _of discovering the key to our newfound success. Even our most notorious loose lipped team mates continued to play coy like an 18_ _ th _ _century lady in waiting._

_When the time arose for my own segments, each interviewer thought I would crack if their questions bordered between discussion and interrogation. I was hounded after each game for even the smallest hint at our tactics. They mistakenly forgot that once upon a time I was under the tutelage of one CJ Craig. Over the weeks, as we failed to disclose any details, attention in interviews began to wane. With explicit instructions from Oscar, we were allowed a few strategic "slip ups" to reinvigorate the conversation. There was a media frenzy when I said nearly the whole team was cross training. That's virtually unheard of in baseball. It also had the unexpected side effect of sending the next slew of teams we were to play into a panic. The information packets they compiled on the players taking on new positions was scarce.  This was a huge contributor as to why each team fell like flies in our wake._

_Mike later revealed he would be spending half his time, if not more on first base. In of itself, that wasn't a huge deal. Most catchers transition onto first to relieve strain on their back and knees. However, Mike's past performances on first are infamous. The fact that he was thriving on first was a great talk piece but also fueled rumors that he was extending his contract._

_It was purely coincidence that Mike and I were the only two to reveal any concrete specifics about the Padres inner workings. Consequently, over the past season, we became the duel face of the Padres. It didn’t help that Skip and Oscar caved to almost all the networks requests to have us appear. Although we had some tough losses, as there is no such thing as a perfect season in baseball, this is the strongest record we've had in 20 years. We are a week from finally being champions. A milestone indeed._

_"True," Mike counters breezily. "but I meant this is a milestone for Jen and Jeremy. 15 years of marriage is quite an accomplishment. They deserve to have everyone they love around them." Mike's own undertone is blatantly apparent._  ' _I'm back and I'm not going anywhere.'_ _"We would never miss this." He finishes with a smile as his arm comes to rest around my waist._

_I inwardly groan. Why must he choose now to finally confront Rachel about his unresolved feelings, though I applaud his subtly._ _I_ _debate whether to kiss him or elbow him in the stomach._

_Rachel_ _stares us down in a silent challenge. She never anticipated Mike returning and staking his claim on the friendships he walked away from. Let alone, with me by his side. I can see Rachel's wheels turning vigorously, searching for an underhanded reply. The air seems to crackle with the resulting pregnant pause. Around us everyone is taking in the show, waiting for the fireworks to begin. Sadly, for them, no matches will be struck while I'm present. If there is one thing that will carry over from Mike and Rachel's marriage into mine, it's that our dirty laundry is not for public consumption. I take a deep breath and use my warmest tone, right as Rachel opens her mouth to speak._

_"Rachel, congrats_ _on your Beckman nomination_ _."_

_Rachel's mouth draws together with an audible pop as her eyes widen minutely. In a flicker they settle back into her even gaze and her cutting remark evaporates from her lips. In this moment, amongst her closest friends, Rachel finds herself incapable of being harsh to the woman that brought one of her accomplishments to the fore._

_"Thank you." She says with a tight smile_ _,_ _bordering on a grimace. "It was quite a surprise."_

_I reply with the standard 'you're welcome' and try to keep my face as pleasant as possible. Anything further would be dangerously close to ego stoking which I_ _am incapable of._ _We are both at a loss_ _as_ _to_ _how to_ _continue. My eyes tick up to Mike but he's utterly bemused, which is of no help to me. Rachel and I are both silently pleading for a speedy escape out of this troublesome excuse of a conversation. Rachel's eye travels to a spot over my left shoulder. A broad smile alights her face as she raises her glass and nods. We all turn toward that direction to see Jennifer beckoning Rachel to her own group._

_"Enjoy your night." Rachel says, flashing a wan smile. She seemingly leaps off toward the other group, quickly taking her leave._

_'You too', Mike and I say in unison. Neither of us conjure a smile as Rachel has already turned away from us. The radiating tension in my shoulders lessens ten-fold with each step she takes away from us. We all look as the petite redhead happily saddles up beside her best friend and joins the conversation with ease. I silently thank Jen for running interference for Mike and I so effortlessly. I register Mike's hand rubbing soothing circles along my hip in gentle comfort. I sag against him in relief. Crisis averted._

_"So, what's a Beckman?" Mikes asks, brow pitched._

_Savannah expounds on the fact that a Beckman is a journalism award, named after the World War II journalist Albert Beckman. Rachel is the first woman to be nominated in nearly 15 years. Her series of articles and corresponding segments on her show covering the #_ _MeToo_ _movement, as respects to the sports arena, has garnered a lot of attention and high acclaim._

_Mike thoughtfully takes in this newfound information but continues to look down at me quizzically._

_"Why do you know about this?"_

_"_ _For moments like these so I have something nice to say instead of the multitudes of expletives I'm always thinking when she's around_ _." I answer honestly._

_"Smart woman." Ian interjects. I believe I see the beginnings of an appreciative smile grace his lips before he takes a sip from his glass. Instead of inquiring about its meaning, I address Mike about his behavior._

_"_ _Or when my husband decides to be passive aggressive with his ex when he knows how much she hates it_ _." I level Mike with a_ _pointed look_ _but he rounds his hazel eyes in the most innocent of gazes. A smirk slides onto his features as it meets my unaffected glare._

_"Fine. Next time I'll take a_ _queue_ _from you and have it out with her in an empty parking lot."_

_I see Ian and Savannah's faces contort in confusion but they still seem to be enthralled in our banter. From the moment Mike and I walked into their orbit, they never once made a move to talk with anyone else. They scarcely talk to each other. They watch us intently while reacting to us in their own silent conversation. Gentle nudge here. Flutter tap there. I think they find us very amusing._

_I try to maintain my glare but ultimately fail. 'You're such a creep, old man' I answer while shaking my bowed head, my smile only partly concealed by the acute angle._

_"Never said I wasn’t." Mike retorts and I'm pulled into his soft gaze yet again. An unpleasant tug in my stomach creeps in and my eyes tick away. For a moment I'm lost in a flurry of jumbled emotions._

_"Hey, what's that face?" Mike asks softly in concern. His thumb pads along my jaw to get my attention._

_"_ _Nothing_ _. That_ _just_ _wasn’t_ _as bad as expected_ _."_

_"Isn't that a good thing?" He replies, not fully not understanding the problem._

_"Yea, it is. I..." I trail off. I let out an uneven sigh to steel my nerves for what I'm about to request._

_"_ _Have you spoken to her this week_ _?"_

_Mike is taken aback for a moment. The very thought of willful communication with Rachel is the very definition of agony. But his face softens when he realizes what I'm referring to._

_"No." He says in a near whisper. "I didn’t_ _think_ _it_ _would help_ _."_

_I nod in understanding and try to belay the tears that are threatening to spill yet again._

_For almost a decade, I spent this week surrounded by a cacophony of people or buried under a litany of paperwork. It was blissfully mind numbing. In time, it all came to a full stop and without fail, I was alone. That was partly due to my own choosing but it didn’t hurt any less._ _In a grand turn of events, the one person I wanted most beside me during those times, finally is. But something catches in my chest knowing that Rachel may find herself in the same position I, not so long ago, was in. It may not be my place but I don’t want that for her_.

_"If you get a chance, maybe you should." I propose. "It's up to you. It's just... this is a hard week for everyone. Maybe if you get a moment alone," meaning without me, "something will get through."_

_Mike's eyes turn downcast has he nods. He makes a move to say something but at the last moment decides against it. It’s as if an invisible weight has found a home on his shoulders once again._

_"Like I said, it's up to you." I repeat. "If it's too much..."_

_"No, I want to," Mike breaks in, squaring his shoulders. "I just have to find the right time." He manages a smile despite the apprehension radiating from his eyes. Mike places a quick kiss to my forehead before turning back to Ian and Savannah, effectively telling me to stop worrying._

_As our conversation about work, White House shenanigans and even my love of rose gold progresses, Mike begins to relax once more. Most likely, he's formulated a plan as to the best way to approach Rachel and can now enjoy the company around us. A short while later a small cluster of guests' beckon Mike over but I decide to remain beside Savannah and Ian._  

_I love the small triad Savanna, Ian, and I have made amongst ourselves and for once, I d_ _o_ _n’t mind adding a few others to the mix. I forgot how much I missed talking politics with well-informed individuals. I even got to meet a few Cali campaigners that worked for Will and later, Sam. Even so, I didn’t anticipate how excited they would be to meet me._

_It was amazing to hear different one's reactions to speeches I gave or even recite arguments that I used on multiple political panels. They had so many questions about the tiniest details that even I forgot._

_I tried repeatedly to make my way back to Mike. I wanted to share a happy part of my past with him. But it seemed I was always getting pulled back into another conversation. I think the same was happening with him. At times, I would hear Mike say my name and point to me. He would make an effort to get to me but never could quite get there. After a while, we smiled across the pool of people to each and shrugged. We'll make it back to each other eventually. We always do._

_I think Evelyn and Ginny would be proud of us. We can make it over 15 minutes without each other despite their assertions to the contrary._

_In the middle of a rousing discussion on the lasting_ _psychological_ _affects the educational system has on today's youth, the lights dim and we are ushered to the outer edges of the room. A sweeping instrumental begins as Jeremy and Jen take the floor to recreate their first dance. The strings dissipate and the distinct voice of Aerosmith begins to ring out around the room. Jeremy spins Jen around in a soft flourish before holding her close and swaying to the familiar tune._

_In the bustle of moving, I've lost sight of Mike. The group he was in are still clumped together toward the hors d'oeuvre tables but he's nowhere to be seen. I shuffle along the wall until I see Mike's frame bending ever so slightly toward the wall. A few steps more and Rachel comes into view._  

_Panic rises in my chest at seeing Rachel's terse expression and stiff posture. But as Mike continues to speak_ _,_ _her rigid exterior begins to ease. It may be an unconventional choice to choose this moment to talk to Rachel, but it was the right decision. Everyone is looking at the couple, dancing gracefully surrounded by twinkling lights. No one will notice Rachel quickly swipe under_ _each_ _eye or how Mike gently reaches_ _out to touch her hand_.

_I leave Mike and Rachel to their conversation and retake my previous place. It’s a much better angle to see the beautiful couple. Jen cranes her neck as Jeremy whispers a few words_ _into her ear. She snickers into his shoulder and a warm smile alights her face as well as the_ _on looking_ _crowd._

_I hope Mike and I are like that in 15 years. Surrounded by family and friends and still making each other laugh._ _Even five years would be an accomplishment._

_I see us in our large sunroom, the light from the setting sun streaming in. Small fires seem to erupt and dance along every surface_ _created by_ _the reflection of the lake below.  Maybe we're celebrating an occasion such as this or just finally managing to get all our family in one place. Smatterings of laughter_ _and smooth orchestral waves_ _mingle_ _together as I roam around making sure everyone is well taken care of._ _I feel a_ _l_ _ight_ _bump against my knee and_ _smile down at the small caramel hands of a toddler reaching for my legs. Huge hazel eyes, under billowing curls look up at me. He seems to grow before my eyes as he's lifted swiftly off the ground into his father's secure hold, giggling_ _all_ _the way. There is a radiant glimmer in Mike's eye as he looks at the child wiggling joy_ _ous_ _ly_ _in his arms. Small flecks of gray pepper his beard and temples but his youthful vigor still abounds._

_I_ _’m_ _transported_ _to the present by a_ _warmth radiating along my back_ _and those same arms curling a_ _round me._

_“_ _Hey you_ _._ _”_ _I hum sweetly._

_Mike pulls me deeper into his embrace and begins to sway gently from side to side in time with the languid bass rhythm. A somewhat relieved sigh is drawn from my lips when he ghosts a kiss on my bare shoulder in response._

_“_ _Are you getting sentimental?_ _” I ask, at cocking my eye_ _to the side and seeing Mike's wistful expression._

_"_ _Maybe_ _," he answers in a_ _soft grumble_ _, "_ _I think you are too_ _."_

_"It's hard_ _not to_ _."_

_Mike tries to nuzzle into my jaw but his ever-expanding beard reaches far beyond that. He_ _smiles into my assaulted_ _shoulder as I f_ _ight not to giggle_ _._

_"So, d_ _id you have_ _fun with your groupies_ _?"_

_"They are n_ _ot groupies_ _."_

_"_ _No?_ _" Mike asks, with a_ _skeptical_ _uptick to his voice._  

_"_ _No_ _-_ _one_ _asked me to sign their boob_ _so_ _,_ _it_ _d_ _oesn’t count._ _"_ _We_ _c_ _huckle_ _knowing the ample_ _cleavages_ _Mike has been asked to ink from his most "avid" fans over the years._

_"_ _Maybe next time_ _."_

_"_ _Yea_ _,_ _m_ _aybe._ _" I say cracking a smile._

_The sweeping_ _scene in front of us_ _comes_ _to an emotional end with Jeremy placing a loving kiss to Jen's_ _hand and temple. The crowd of guests circling the room applaud in unison as Jen invites all the couples to join them on the floor_. 

_'_ _I wonder if they have_ _B_ _eauty and the_ _B_ _east_ _' I jest, and Mike goes still_ _. '_ _That's not funny_ _' he responds gravely as he leads me onto the dance floor._

_"_ _I beg to differ old man_ _."_

_Mike's arm winds around my waist and he_ _takes_ _my hand in his._ _We begin an easy shuffle as my_ _left_ _h_ _and_ _travels to play with the short hairs at the_ _nape of his_ _neck._ _Mike proceeds to t_ _humb_ _small circles_ _into the_ _hollow of my_ _lower back._ _An electric shiver races up my spine and I_ _snap taunt_ _as to not arch_ _into him_ _._ _I release a s_ _low_ _breath_ _which does little_ _to_ _ease the tension_ _._

_"_ _You ok?_ _" Mike asks, concern lacing his voice._  

_I_ _can only manage a w_ _eak, yet_ _a_ _ffirmative noise_ _with my lip pulled_ _against my teeth_ _._ _M_ _y head rises slowly to loll thoughtfully to the side. He knows exactly what he's doing._

_"A_ _re you g_ _etting revenge for the B_ _eauty and the B_ _east_ _comment?"_

_Mike's_ _crooked_ _grin_ _emerges at so easily_ _deciphering_ _his vengeful tactics_ _._ _My nose_ _wrin_ _kles_ _in_ _chagrin and those lazy circles cease._ _Mike gathers our outstretched hands to rest right over his heart_ _just as_ _I_ _r_ _egister faint flash_ _in my periphery but think nothing of it._

_I l_ _ove these small moments_ _, w_ _here we don’t have to say anything._ _I adore that we_ _can be_ _silly and playful. Even more, I treasure when Mike_ _r_ _eveals what's on his heart and that_ _in turn_ _wills me to_ _unveil_ _my own._ _But_ _I live for these_ _moments, w_ _here we can just be._

_The slow ballad_ _ends and gi_ _ves way_ _to a more_ _up-_ _tempo_ _tune._ _Both_ _Ian_ _and Jeremey_ _appear next us_ _,_ _asking_ _me_ _for a_ _turn around_ _the floor_ _._ _Mike_ _chooses_ _to dance with J_ _en_ _and lets the boys duke it out for_ _my hand_ _themselves._ _They p_ _uff_ _their_ _chest_ _s'_ _comically_ _and I tap my chin in "deep"_ _contemplation_ _._ _D_ _ue to Ian's rather amusing take on a strong-man pose,_ _he_ _successfully_ _secures_ _me as his partner._ _When Jeremy walks dejectedly toward Savannah to be "_ _consol_ _ed_ _", a familiar_ _silhouette_ _catches_ _my eye._

_In a rush, I excuse_ _myself and lift the hem of my dress as not to fall. I come upon_ _a circle of guest_ _who_ _have opted out of the dancing portion of the evening. I touch the pristine suited shoulder of the man before me._ _His face_ _instantly brightens at the sight of me. As I lunge into his embrace my vision begins to blur._

_"David"_

_"Hello, my sweet girl."_


End file.
